Main accused was bi-sexual and childhood friend of victim: DIG
Srinagar, Jan 19: Police Tuesday claimed to have solved the murder case of a Peerbagh youth by arresting the main culprit, who was a bi-sexual and childhood friend of the deceased, and three railway policemen.
“From past one year Ishaan Majeed of Bandipora, a bisexual, would pose like a girl by the name Umaira of Wanbal Nowgam and would talk for hours together mostly during the night hours with Owais Bashir Malik of Peerbagh,” DIG Ghulam Hassan Bhat told reporters.
The throat-slit and mutilated body of Owais was recovered from the railway track, Humhama on January 14. His killing triggered massive protest demonstrations in Peerbagh and adjoining areas.
Bhat said the accused (Ishaan) would talk to Owais in a female voice and the voice was so accurate that family members of Owais would talk to him believing that she is friend of their ward.
“During investigation we asked accused to talk to slain youth’s sister and she confirmed that it was the same voice with whom she had talked earlier,” he said.
The police officer said Owais was repeatedly insisting Umaira (Ishan) to meet him. “After avoiding direct meeting for quite some time, Ishaan agreed to him meet. Both decided to meet on January 12 at Railway Track near Peerbagh.”
“It was here that Ishan divulged his real identity to Owais. It infuriated Owais and both had a scuffle,” DIG said.
He said Ishaan (Umaira) got better of the Owais and brought him down on the ground over railway track and kicked him repeatedly. “Owais was badly injured and rolled down into the gorge. Thinking that Owais was dead, Ishaan (Umaira) left for his home and subsequently to his aunt’s house at Bandipora”.
Bhat said the accused destroyed two SIMs in Bandipora through which he used talk to Owais. “He broke them in Bandipora and threw them into a Nallah”.
Ishaan lives with his parents in Barzulla area of Srinagar and is student of Business school in Humhama.
Bhat said Owais’s body was recovered away from the crime scene.
“During investigation, we found that a constable of Railway police (GRP) had found the body near the track. However, instead of informing the police, he alongwith two of his colleagues disposed off the body and placed it away from the track near the Railway bridge at Peerbagh,” he said.
DIG said they (Railway cops) feared that they may be questioned as the crime scene fell in their jurisdiction.
“There are no signs of them being involved in the crime as such,” he said.
The police officer said all the accused are behind bars and further investigation is in progress.
The arrested GRP men have been identified as Manzoor Ahmad of Chadoora, Mohammad Ayoub of Humhama and Noor Mohammad of Khansahib.
DIG said since the body of Owais was found mutilated, the cause for it will be ascertained after receiving the forensic and postmortem reports.
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